Date:07/07/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/07/07/stories/2006070706310500.htm

Karnataka - Tumkur

`Release water into Tumkur canal without delay'

Staff Correspondent

JD(S), BJP MLAs have failed to protect the interest of farmers: Congress

Statements
Water release was scheduled in the last week of May
The Hemavathy Reservoir was full after heavy rain
There is no reason to delay water release into Tumkur canal

The Congress will launch an agitation over the issue

TUMKUR: Congress leaders on Thursday criticised the Janata Dal (Secular) and Bharatiya Janata Party MLAs from Tumkur district for their "failure" to safeguard the interests of the farmers.

Addressing presspersons at Kunigal, Tumkur District Congress Committee president and former Kunigal MLA S.P. Muddahanume Gowda said Congress had been appealing to the Government to ensure that Hemavathy waters were let into the Tumkur canal.

But the Janata Dal (S) and BJP MLAs had failed to raise the issue, he said.

Schedule

He said water release was scheduled in the last week of May. But the Government had not ordered the release of water into the canal 45 days later.

If water was released as per schedule, it would have started benefiting farmers at the tail-end of the canal at Kunigal Doddakere. Farmers in Tiptur, C.N. Halli, Turuvekere, Gubbi, Tumkur and Kunigal taluks of the district were in difficulty because of the delay in the release of water.

Supply of drinking water to Arsikere, Sira, Kallambella, Tumkur and Koratagere would be affected, he added.